“…when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking” (Mark 11:22 MSG)

Prayer has got to be one of the greatest gifts God has ever given us. We can have a God-chat about absolutely anything, anytime, anywhere. Yet we abuse this gift. We treat it like nothing more than a wish-list and expect delivery the very day we send our requests to Heaven. “God gimme this” and “God gimme that” is all we ever think about.

Well you’ve got something coming, here’s the latest newscast- God is not a genie. Get it out of your head. And here’s another thing. Don’t you dare boss God about. We take orders from Him, not the other way around. Stating the obvious. God isn’t a mystic-magician either. He doesn’t wave a magic wand and make all your wishes come true, even if you do say the magic word it won’t make much difference. That’s not what prayer is about. It isn’t about God sending you the Mr or Mrs Right, the pretty pony you have always wanted or letting you be the leading role in the school play.

One day when one of my best friends, Laura Gordon, was a kid she hadn’t quite got her head around what was the point of prayer. She didn’t ask God to feed the starving kids in Africa, or bring world peace, or even that He would help her with her sums or be with granny when she was in hospital. She dared to ask God for a mermaid costume. Yep, you heard me right, a fish-frock. She even had the cheek to tell Him where to leave it. No brownie points for guessing what happened. Nothing. God didn’t grant her wish. I hate to nit-pick on Gordo though, I have to say she’s come on a long way since those dopey days, she doesn’t pray for frivolous things anymore.

Keep this in mind, “God will hear our prayers when we ask for what pleases Him” (1 John 5:14 CEV); we have to ask in accordance with His will. There’s no point in praying with the purpose to please yourself. You’re wasting your time, let alone God’s time listening to you chatter on about a load of codswallop. God doesn’t deliver presents; He packs and parcels promises. That’s more than enough to get us by. Don’t confuse Santa Claus with your Saviour. Big mistake. God doesn’t wear a big red suit, but He does wear a smile when you ask for what pleases Him. Never forget it.

Bible-bones:

“We’re able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we’re doing what He said, doing what pleases Him” (1 John 3:21 MSG). Pray with the purpose to please your Heavenly Father. Say sorry for using and abusing the gift of prayer…

The ABC of becoming a Christian...A each and every one of us has sinned, admit it. Be honest with yourself, God doesn't accept excuses. Acknowledge your shortcomings, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23 NIV). Ask God for His forgiveness and say sorry for your sins. Own up to the fact that your sins sent Jesus to the cross.B you've got to believe that Jesus died to bring you new life. Jesus sacrificed Himself, He went willingly to the cross to take your punishment. God sent His Son to pay our penalty, "The payment for sin is death. But God gives us the free gift of life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23 NCV). Jesus' sacrifice bought your salvation.C it's time to change your ways, "anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old is gone; a new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT). Repentance, in other words, means living a changed life. If you say you love Jesus you'd better live like it! Make a change, live your life wholly for Him.